Cyber Monday deals and safe shopping tips

After stuffing our faces with turkey and dressing and working off that extra piece of pumpkin pie getting up early for the deals on Black Friday, you may still be searching for that perfect Christmas gift.

Cyber Monday has arrived and retailers are counting on that extra web traffic raise their bottom line, especially after early numbers from Black Friday find shoppers spent less on their purchases this year for Black Friday than last year.

The term was first coined in 2005 after Shop.org, a website by the National Retail Federation, noticed a large spike in online shopping the Monday after Thanksgiving. It's seen by many retailers, shoppers and the media as the official kick-off to the online holiday shopping season. That's when workers would typically use their work's online connection to surf the web for deals. Shop.org offers a nice guide to Cyber Monday shopping.

CyberMonday.com seems to be the "official" Cyber Monday site.

CyberMonday.net also boast some good deals.

Supercybermonday.com is another site with online deals.

Gottadeal.com tracks the Cyber Monday deals.

Mr. Dealfinder.com offers coupon codes for Cyber Monday discounts.

Facebookers and Tweeple--you can become a fan of Mr. Dealfinder on Facebook or follow Mr. Dealfinder on Twitter.

Become a fan of Cyber Monday on Facebook or follow it on Twitter.

Many retailers are tweeting and Facebooking. For example you can follow MySears, toysRUS, Bestbuy, kmartDealsnNews, WalmartSpecials and TargeT on Twitter.

Some retailers are carrying the Cyber Monday deals throughout the week, so keep your eye out for those.

Of course, you'll want to make sure your online purchases are safe. On Guard Online.gov, a website put together by the federal government to help users guard against Internet fraud, offers these tips for online consumers.

• Know who you're dealing with. Confirm the online seller's physical address and phone number in case you have questions or problems.
• Know exactly what you're buying. Read the seller's description of the product closely, especially the fine print.
• Know what it will cost. Factor shipping and handling - along with your needs and budget - into the total cost of the order.
• Pay by credit or charge card, for maximum consumer protections.
• Check out the terms of the deal, like refund policies and delivery dates.
• Print and save records of your online transactions.

Also, look for sites with https in the web address. The 's' in the address means it's a secure site. Look for the little padlock or unbroken key at the bottom of the screen.

Happy shopping, just don't let the boss see you! ;)